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The music and dance of the Roma people of the Andalusia region of southern Spain is known as flamenco. Its roots are in Romany, Andalusian, Arabic, and possibly Spanish Jewish folk song and, according to some scholars, in Byzantine and Indian religious chant.

Flamenco, which UNESCO recently recognized as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a complex art form incorporating poetry, singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), dance (baile), polyrhythmic hand-clapping (palmas), and finger snapping (pitos).

Flamenco history has only been documented for the past 200 years or so, and anything before this time is open to debate and speculation.

Flamenco is a way of life which is born from the necessity of a population to express itself. It originates from popular and marginal roots that have developed throughout time. Nowadays flamenco has crossed frontiers and nationalities and has become integrated and recognised both at a national and international level.

Although the general style has remained the same, the dress code has through the ages been expanded upon, with the outfits becoming increasingly ornate as the tradition has evolved.

The history of flamenco dress plays an important role in this musical style whose three main elements are singing, percussion and dancing. We cannot forget that in every show, the staging plays a very important role, as well as its costumes.

The 1960s also produced another aspect that was to change the face of flamenco, and this came in the shape of two youngsters, one from Algerciras, and the other from San Fernando, Cádiz.

Despite its close association with modern Flamenco music, the guitar did not play much of a role in the early days of the art form.

Flamenco is a genuine Spanish art form, or to be more exact, a southern Spanish art form. It has three branches: cante (song), baile (dance), and toque (the art of guitar playing). Flamenco was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.